Here are the 30 facts about Inter Miami:
1. The club is officially known as Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami.
2. It is commonly referred to as Inter Miami CF or simply Inter Miami.
3. The team was established on January 29, 2018, marking its beginning in the world of professional soccer.
4. Inter Miami is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, adding to the state’s rich sports culture.
5. The home matches of the team are played at DRV PNK Stadium, a venue that can hold up to 18,000 spectators.
6. The ownership group of the club comprises a trio of influential figures: David Beckham, Jorge Mas, and Jose Mas.
7. David Beckham, a former professional footballer and global sports icon, serves as the president of the club.
8. Starting from the 2020 season, Inter Miami began its journey in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS).
9. The team’s first head coach was Diego Alonso, marking the club’s first major appointment.
10. The idea of an expansion franchise in Miami was entertained by MLS as early as 2012, especially after the disbandment of the Miami Fusion in 2001.
11. David Beckham, upon joining the MLS in 2007, received an option to purchase an expansion team at a discounted price, with Miami being one of his potential targets.
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12. In 2014, Beckham and his investment group, Miami Beckham United, successfully secured an expansion franchise in Miami, which was conditional upon finding financing for a new stadium.
13. Four years after their original announcement, the Miami Beckham United group was awarded the twenty-fifth MLS franchise in 2018.
14. In the same year, the team’s official name, Inter Miami CF, was announced.
15. Inter Miami CF played its inaugural MLS game on March 1, 2020.
16. The first goal in the history of Inter Miami was netted by Rodolfo Pizarro on March 7, 2020.
17. In the 2022 season, Inter Miami secured the 6th place in the Eastern Conference and finished 12th overall in the MLS.
18. Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi joined the team in 2023, becoming the highest-paid player in the MLS with a salary ranging from $50 to $60 million per year.
19. Messi’s lucrative contract includes a part-ownership stake in the club upon his retirement, as well as a share of the profits from MLS’s broadcasting deal with Apple TV and the team’s kit sales from Adidas.
20. The negotiation process for Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami lasted for three years.
21. With Messi’s arrival, the club’s owners expect the MLS to become one of the top soccer leagues in the world.
22. Messi’s former Barcelona teammate, Sergio Busquets, also joined Inter Miami in 2023.
23. Messi made his first appearance for Inter Miami on July 21, 2023, in a match against Mexican side Cruz Azul.
24. The 2023 season marked the fourth season of Inter Miami’s existence.
25. In 2023, the team stood at 9th place in the Eastern Conference and 16th place overall in the MLS.
26. The head coach for the 2023 season was Gerardo Martino, who assumed the role on June 28, 2023.
27. Prior to Martino’s appointment, the club was led by two interim head coaches in 2023: Phil Neville until June 1 and Javier Morales from June 1 to June 28.
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28. The club has been actively involved in negotiations to bring top players to the team, including talks with Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, and Angel Di Maria.
29. The club’s owners are optimistic about the league’s potential for growth following Messi’s arrival, stating that they believe his presence will elevate the league to another level.
30. Along with Messi and Busquets, the club is focusing on bringing players of similar caliber to the team, with ongoing talks with two more of Messi’s former Barcelona teammates, as well as Messi’s compatriot Angel Di Maria, who was most recently of Juventus.
